Take One of These Along to Avoid Being Trapped

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I learned something important the other day that I need to share with you, kind readers.  I almost got trapped by a seemingly simple little problem. 

I came through it all right, but for a while there it was nip and tuck, and it could have been bad as well as embarrassing. 

Pressure was building rapidly, with no solution in sight. 

I racked my brain for an answer before it was too late.  My entrapment was causing considerable distress, both physically and mentally. 

No solution was coming into my now-desperate mind.  Extreme methods were considered. 

What was this dire situation, you ask? 



















You see, the zipper pull on my leather suit broke off completely. 

...at a very inopportune time. 

...just after dismounting and hurrying into the loo. 

Actually, this was the second time the pull has broken.  The first time, just the end broke off, the pull being a very thin zinc die casting.  The zip was still operable that way, but now, the whole thing came loose from the slider.  

Try as I might, eyeballs turning a deep shade of yellow, I could not cause the slider on the zipper to move.  It has a little dog inside it that locks the zipper until it is retracted by the zipper pull.  That is so the zipper doesn't come open on its own. 

The pliers almost came out of my toolkit to do the job quickly...but expensively.  The zipper would have to be replaced if I damaged it with my set of pinchers. 

Finally, I thought of something.  I went back to rummage through my tank bag, and came up with a possible solution. 

A paper clip.  One of those oversized ones. 

I threaded the end of it through the zipper slider, going by feel, since the slider was at the top of its travel, under my chin.  It didn't work.  Now what to do?  I was becoming frantic, with real pain now. 

I looked at the zipper slider the best I could using the mirror on the bike to help me see it.  I must have had the paper clip in the wrong place, so I threaded it through again.  This time, the slider released its grip on the teeth. 

I yanked the slider down as rapidly as possible -- to a point -- after which a somewhat slower, more careful technique was employed.  Then I had to spend some time extricating shorty because it was cold that day, and I was dressed in layers of underwear. 

Finally I reached my goal, and the pressure was relieved.  Just in the nick of time, I might say. 


So, the moral of the story is:

Always carry a paper clip or two with you when you ride.  

It might save you from becoming trapped some day as I was. 

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...and maybe you have some papers it could hold together in the mean time.
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